A scenic route that stands out from the rest – the Route of Industrial Heritage

The Route of Industrial Heritage has turned a landscape of former machine halls and mines into the world's largest open-air museum. It's a 'Tour de Ruhr' of around 400 kilometres, exploring key industrial heritage sites in the Ruhr region. This might be a little different from the other scenic routes in Germany, but it's all the more enthralling for it.

The attraction of the Ruhr region lies primarily in its monuments to engineering and in the industrial sites that are still operational. These treasures of the region's industrial traditions and past make up the Route of Industrial Heritage. This takes you to more than 50 cultural monuments – including numerous mines – that cover 150 years of industrial heritage up to the changes taking place today. Nowhere else can you see so many spectacular sights so close to each other. There is plenty both to look at and experience at these remarkable locations – where collieries have been turned into temples to design and industrial wastelands into parks for the 21st-century. Enjoy rest and relaxation at reservoirs and public parks, culture in the gasometer, dancing in the old colliery washhouse, German beer on a brewery tour, strong football traditions, the latest niche sports and much more. The interactive museums in former mines, coking plants and steelworks are fascinating visitor attractions during the day. By night, they are transformed into fantastic illuminated worlds, creating a night-time panorama that is simply breathtaking. These almost surreal cathedrals to industrial heritage are great subjects for photos. The Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the most spectacular places to visit in the Ruhr region. You'll be so overwhelmed by what is on offer that you'll want to return. In the bars and restaurants, which serve everything from currywurst to haute cuisine, you'll find out a lot more about the region and perhaps make a few new friends as well.